Difficult synonyms
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Using much energy; strenuous
1
- Using much energy; strenuous
- Difficult to do; laborious; onerous
- Hard to traverse, climb, or surmount.
Marked by or requiring long, hard work:
3
- Marked by or requiring long, hard work:
- Mentally difficult; painstaking
- Involving or calling for much hard work; difficult
Hard to endure; oppressive; burdensome; distressing
3
- Hard to endure; oppressive; burdensome; distressing
- Hard to digest
- Hard to do or accomplish; arduous:
Vigorously active; energetic or zealous:
1
- Vigorously active; energetic or zealous:
- Requiring great effort, energy, or exertion:
Causing annoyance, weariness, or vexation:
0
- Causing annoyance, weariness, or vexation:
- That tends to irk; tiresome or annoying
- Disagreeable or troublesome by reason of long continuance or repetition; bothersome; annoying; irritating; wearisome; tedious.
Requiring precise accuracy
2
- Requiring precise accuracy
- Demanding great care, patience, effort, etc.; arduous
- Making excessive demands; hard to satisfy.
Hard to move or operate; not free or limber
2
- Hard to move or operate; not free or limber
- (Naut.) Not tending to lean or tilt to one side even in strong winds or when carrying much sail
- Hard to bend or stretch; rigid; firm; not flexible or pliant
Requiring trouble and care; exacting and difficult
1
- Requiring trouble and care; exacting and difficult
- Full of or giving pain:
- Requiring care and labor; difficult or irksome:
Causing bother; annoying; troublesome; irksome
2
- Causing bother; annoying; troublesome; irksome
Characterized by or causing trouble, irritation, difficulty, distress, inconvenience, etc.
1
- Characterized by or causing trouble, irritation, difficulty, distress, inconvenience, etc.
- Giving trouble or anxiety; vexatious; burdensome; wearisome.
Requiring great physical exertion
1
- Requiring great physical exertion
- (Figuratively) Of work, very physically tiring.
Burdensome; laborious
1
- Burdensome; laborious
- Troublesome or oppressive; burdensome.
- (Law) Involving a legal obligation that equals or exceeds the benefits
1
- Huge; immense; tremendous.
- Of a tremendous size, volume, degree, etc.
- Of exceedingly great scope or nature:
Requiring the full application of one's abilities, attention, or resources:
1
Burdensome; wearing:
0
- Burdensome; wearing:
- With respect to an experience: exhausting; draining.
Very tiring.
0
(Informal) Very large:
0
- (Informal) Very large:
- Of a size suitable for a man; larger than normal
- Calling for the strength traditionally attributed to a man:
Deeply interested or involved:
0
- Deeply interested or involved:
- Not easily answered or solved:
- Concerned with important rather than trivial matters:
Regarded as being risky, dangerous, offensive, etc., often as a result of lacking in conventional social controls
0
- Regarded as being risky, dangerous, offensive, etc., often as a result of lacking in conventional social controls
- Difficult to endure or live through, especially because of harsh or inclement weather:
- Difficult to travel over or through:
Very difficult; toilsome
0
- Very difficult; toilsome
- Hard to convince or influence; stubborn
- Hard to cut or chew:
Of great consequence; serious or momentous:
0
- Of great consequence; serious or momentous:
- Having much weight; very heavy; ponderous
- Adapted to turn the balance in the mind, or to convince; important; forcible; serious; momentous.
Characterized by or causing trouble, irritation, difficulty, distress, inconvenience, etc.
0
- Characterized by or causing trouble, irritation, difficulty, distress, inconvenience, etc.
- Giving trouble or anxiety; vexatious; burdensome; wearisome.
Harsh or severe in effect or intention:
3
- Harsh or severe in effect or intention:
- Lacking in shade; undiminished:
- Marked by stubborn refusal to compromise or yield; uncompromising:
Requiring others to work hard or meet high expectations:
2
- Requiring others to work hard or meet high expectations:
- Requiring much effort or attention:
- Making difficult or irksome demands on a person's resources, patience, energy, etc.
1
- Irritating, stressful or bothersome.
- That tries one's patience; annoying; exasperating; irksome
- Difficult to endure; arduous.
(Inorganic chemistry) Of or relating to titanium, especially tetravalent titanium
4
- (Inorganic chemistry) Of or relating to titanium, especially tetravalent titanium
- Of or like the Titans
- Of great size, strength, or power
Characterized by or adhering to strict standards or methods; exacting and thorough:
1
- Characterized by or adhering to strict standards or methods; exacting and thorough:
- Rigidly precise; thoroughly accurate or exact
- Harsh, severe, or demanding:
Alternative capitalization of Herculean.
1
- Alternative capitalization of Herculean.
- Of unusual size, power, or difficulty.
- Calling for great strength, size, or courage; very difficult to do
Marked by difficulty or strong resistance; laborious:
2
- Marked by difficulty or strong resistance; laborious:
- Calling for prolonged effort; laborious
- Going or sloping up; rising
Endlessly laborious or futile:
1
- Endlessly laborious or futile:
- Endless and toilsome, useless, etc.
- Of or like Sisyphus
Inspiring awe, admiration, or wonder:
0
- Inspiring awe, admiration, or wonder:
- Difficult to undertake, surmount, or defeat:
- Hard to handle or overcome
Full of, characterized by, or motivated by ambition.
0
- Full of, characterized by, or motivated by ambition.
- Greatly desirous (of something); eager for
- Requiring or showing much effort; challenging:
Difficult to understand, analyze, or solve for having many interconnected elements.
0
- Difficult to understand, analyze, or solve for having many interconnected elements.
- Full of elaborate detail
- Hard to follow or understand because full of puzzling parts, details, or relationships
Causing or creating vexation; annoying:
0
- Causing or creating vexation; annoying:
- (Archaic) Full of trouble or disquiet; harassed; distressed; annoyed; vexed.
- (Law) Instituted without real grounds, chiefly to cause annoyance to the defendant
Tiresome by reason of length, slowness, or dullness; boring.
0
- Tiresome by reason of length, slowness, or dullness; boring.
- (Obsolete) Moving or progressing very slowly.
- Full of tedium; long or verbose and wearisome; tiresome; boring
Very large; vast; huge
0
- Very large; vast; huge
- Very great in size, extent, or amount:
- (Slang, former) Very good; excellent
- Alternative spelling of gruelling.
- Physically or mentally demanding to the point of exhaustion:
- Extremely trying; exhausting
Full of or tending to cause stress.
0
- Full of or tending to cause stress.
- Irritating; causing stress.
Having or showing a sensitive or, sometimes, finicky distaste for what is considered offensive or improper
0
- Having or showing a sensitive or, sometimes, finicky distaste for what is considered offensive or improper
- Easily broken or damaged:
- Pleasing to the senses, especially in a subtle way:
Requiring skillful or tactful handling; delicate:
0
- Requiring skillful or tactful handling; delicate:
- Very sensitive or easily upset; touchy
- Needing careful handling; precarious; delicate
Very difficult; toilsome
0
- Very difficult; toilsome
- Hard to convince or influence; stubborn
- Hard to cut or chew:
Potentially difficult to escape from.
0
- Potentially difficult to escape from.
- Able or likely to stick.
- (Informal) Painful or difficult:
Difficult to understand, analyze, or solve for having many interconnected elements.
0
- Difficult to understand, analyze, or solve for having many interconnected elements.
- Full of elaborate detail
- Hard to follow or understand because full of puzzling parts, details, or relationships
Complicated; intricate:
0
- Complicated; intricate:
- Having a close emotional, and often sexual, relationship with
- Not easily understood; intricate; complicated
Difficult to understand; recondite:
0
- Difficult to understand; recondite:
- Hard to understand because of being extremely complex, intellectually demanding, highly abstract, etc.; deep; recondite
Considered apart from concrete existence:
0
- Considered apart from concrete existence:
- Having an intellectual and affective artistic content that depends solely on intrinsic form rather than on narrative content or pictorial representation:
- Thought of apart from any particular instances or material objects; not concrete
Difficult to understand or impart:
0
- Difficult to understand or impart:
- Causing damage or premature wear:
- Lacking in shade; undiminished:
Not clearly understood or expressed; ambiguous or vague:
0
- Not clearly understood or expressed; ambiguous or vague:
- So faintly perceptible as to lack clear delineation; indistinct:
- Deficient in light; dark:
(Grammar) Consisting of at least one bound form. Used of a word.
0
- (Grammar) Consisting of at least one bound form. Used of a word.
- Not simple; involved or complicated
- Difficult to understand for being intricate or involved; complicated:
Containing intricately combined or involved parts.
0
- Containing intricately combined or involved parts.
- Not easy to understand or analyze because of being intricate:
- Made up of parts intricately involved; hard to untangle, solve, understand, analyze, etc.
- Full of knots.
- Difficult to understand or solve:
- Hard to solve or explain; puzzling
Like a thorn; sharp
0
- Like a thorn; sharp
- Controversial, problematic, or vexatious:
- Full of controversial points; difficult; contentious
Characterized by or causing trouble, irritation, difficulty, distress, inconvenience, etc.
0
- Characterized by or causing trouble, irritation, difficulty, distress, inconvenience, etc.
- Giving trouble or anxiety; vexatious; burdensome; wearisome.
Not easily subdued, ended, etc.
0
- Not easily subdued, ended, etc.
- Difficult to alleviate or cure.
- Difficult to manage, control, or treat:
Difficult to understand or explain; enigmatic or confusing; perplexing.
0
- Difficult to understand or explain; enigmatic or confusing; perplexing.
Of, containing, implying, or characterized by mystery
0
- Of, containing, implying, or characterized by mystery
- Having unknown qualities
- Arousing wonder or curiosity, especially by being difficult to explain or understand:
Delicately suggestive; not grossly obvious
0
- Delicately suggestive; not grossly obvious
- So slight as to be difficult to detect or describe; elusive:
- Difficult to understand; abstruse:
- Difficult to understand; not clear as lacking order, chaotic etc
Very confusing, perplexing, or baffling, often due to a very large choice being available.
0
- Very confusing, perplexing, or baffling, often due to a very large choice being available.
(Linguistics) Pronounced with the back of the tongue raised toward the velum. Used of the sound (l) in words like full.
0
- (Linguistics) Pronounced with the back of the tongue raised toward the velum. Used of the sound (l) in words like full.
- Served without milk or cream:
- Lacking or having very little light:
Intended for or understood by only a small group, especially one with specialized knowledge or interests:
0
- Intended for or understood by only a small group, especially one with specialized knowledge or interests:
- Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest, or an enlightened inner circle.
- Having to do with concepts that are highly theoretical and without obvious practical application; often with mystical or religious connotations.
Not clearly defined; not explicit.
0
- Not clearly defined; not explicit.
- Ambiguous; liable to more than one interpretation.
- Not easy to see or read; indecipherable or unreadable.
Of or relating to mystic rites or practices:
0
- Of or relating to mystic rites or practices:
- Of, relating to, or stemming from mysticism or immediate understanding of spiritual matters, especially when experienced as direct communion with God:
- Believed or maintained with awe or deep respect, especially when contrary to or lacking factual evidence:
Complicated and difficult to unravel.
0
- Complicated and difficult to unravel.
- Tangled or twisted together
- (Physics) (of two quantum states) correlated, even though physically separated; (referring to a state of a composite system) not separable
- Confused or complicated
Very deep or low
0
- Very deep or low
- Situated at, extending to, or coming from a great depth; deep:
- Deeply felt or held; intense:
That vexes
0
- That vexes
Lengthy and digressive:
0
- Lengthy and digressive:
- Extended over an irregular area; sprawling:
- Often or habitually roaming; wandering.
Characterized by a free movement of fluids in the body:
0
- Characterized by a free movement of fluids in the body:
- Moving freely; not contained in a special holder, package, binding, etc.
- Not strained or hard
Leaving no track, or trail
0
Not explicable; that cannot be explained, understood, or accounted for
0
- Not explicable; that cannot be explained, understood, or accounted for
- Difficult or impossible to explain or account for.
(Figuratively) unexplored
0
- (Figuratively) unexplored
- Without a path or trail.
Difficult to handle or manage:
0
- Difficult to handle or manage:
- Not easily managed or effected; embarrassing
- Inconvenient to use; hard to handle; unwieldy
Characterized by digressions; rambling.
0
- Characterized by digressions; rambling.
- Marked by digression; rambling
- Digressing or given to digression
Swollen; distended
0
- Swollen; distended
- Swollen or distended, as from a fluid; bloated:
- So bombastic and congested as to obscure meaning
Far distant in time or space:
0
- Far distant in time or space:
- Rich and intense in shade. Used of a color:
- Difficult to penetrate or understand; recondite:
Hard to handle, treat, or deal with; intractable
0
- Hard to handle, treat, or deal with; intractable
- Done or carried on in an obstinate or doggedly persistent manner
- Difficult to treat or deal with; resistant to treatment or effort:
0
- Physically resembling a labyrinth; with the qualities of a maze.
- Like a labyrinth; intricate; complicated; puzzling
- Twisting, convoluted, baffling, confusing, perplexing.
0
- Invisible or unapparent.
- Obscure.
- That has been hidden.
Inspiring awe, admiration, or wonder:
0
- Inspiring awe, admiration, or wonder:
- Difficult to undertake, surmount, or defeat:
- Hard to handle or overcome
Of or resembling an enigma; puzzling:
0
- Of or resembling an enigma; puzzling:
- Mysterious.
- Of or like an enigma; perplexing; baffling
Hidden; concealed
0
- Hidden; concealed
- Beyond the realm of human comprehension; inscrutable:
- Designating or of certain arts, studies, or practices, as magic, alchemy, or astrology, involving mysterious powers that some people believe can affect the way things happen
Of, having the nature of, or expressing a paradox or paradoxes
0
- Of, having the nature of, or expressing a paradox or paradoxes
- Fond of using paradoxes
- Seemingly full of contradictions
Impossible to know or fathom:
0
- Impossible to know or fathom:
- Not comprehensible; that cannot be understood; obscure or unintelligible
- Difficult or impossible to understand or comprehend; unintelligible:
Not intelligible; unable to be understood
0
- Not intelligible; unable to be understood
- Not intelligible; that cannot be understood; incomprehensible
- Difficult or impossible to understand or comprehend; incomprehensible:
Difficult to understand or interpret; impenetrable:
0
- Difficult to understand or interpret; impenetrable:
- That cannot be easily understood; completely obscure or mysterious; unfathomable; enigmatic
Impossible to answer or refute; incontrovertible:
0
- Impossible to answer or refute; incontrovertible:
- Impossible to dispute or rebut; irrefutable; conclusive.
Not solvable.
0
- Not solvable.
Incapable of being measured
0
- Incapable of being measured
- That cannot be understood; incomprehensible
- Difficult or impossible to measure:
Free from accountability; not responsible:
0
- Free from accountability; not responsible:
- Impossible to account for; inexplicable:
- That cannot be explained or accounted for; strange; mysterious
Having two or more possible meanings
1
- Having two or more possible meanings
- Open to more than one interpretation:
- Not clear; indefinite; vague
Uncertain, as an indication or sign; doubtful, incongruous.
0
- Uncertain, as an indication or sign; doubtful, incongruous.
- That can have more than one interpretation; having two or more meanings; purposely vague, misleading, or ambiguous
- Characterized by a mixture of opposing elements and therefore questionable or uncertain:
Beyond the physical or material; incorporeal, supernatural, or transcendental
0
- Beyond the physical or material; incorporeal, supernatural, or transcendental
- Very abstract, abstruse, or subtle
- Of or relating to the poetry of a group of 17th-century English poets whose verse is characterized by an intellectually challenging style and extended metaphors comparing very dissimilar things.
So unlikely or surprising as to have been thought impossible; unbelievable:
0
- So unlikely or surprising as to have been thought impossible; unbelievable:
- Impossible to comprehend or grasp fully:
- That cannot be conceived; that cannot be thought of, understood, imagined, or believed
Obscure or concealed
0
- Obscure or concealed
- Not easily understood; abstruse or obscure:
- Dealing with abstruse or difficult subjects
Not known; unfamiliar:
0
- Not known; unfamiliar:
- Not discovered, identified, determined, explored, etc.
- Not well known or widely known:
(Informal) Unreasonably high or great; exorbitant; excessive
0
- (Informal) Unreasonably high or great; exorbitant; excessive
- Extreme; exaggerated
- Ambitious; difficult:
Able to withstand great strain without tearing or breaking; strong and resilient:
0
- Able to withstand great strain without tearing or breaking; strong and resilient:
- Practical and realistic rather than emotional or sentimental
- Hard to cut or chew:
(Idiomatic, sports) Performing at a level greatly superior to one's usual level of performance.
0
- (Idiomatic, sports) Performing at a level greatly superior to one's usual level of performance.
- (Idiomatic) More than one can handle; too much (especially in over one’s head).
Not manageable; not readily submitting to handling or management; not easily restrained, governed, or directed; not controllable.
0
- Not manageable; not readily submitting to handling or management; not easily restrained, governed, or directed; not controllable.
- Difficult or impossible to manage or control:
Obstinately disobedient or difficult; intractable
0
- Obstinately disobedient or difficult; intractable
- Deviating from what is considered right or good; wrong, improper, etc. or corrupt, wicked, etc.; specif., sexually perverted
- Willfully opposing or resisting what is right, expected, or reasonable:
Too particular or exacting; overly dainty or fastidious; fussy
0
- Too particular or exacting; overly dainty or fastidious; fussy
- Insisting capriciously on getting just what one wants; difficult to please; fastidious:
- (Informal) Fastidious and fussy; difficult to please; exacting, especially about details.
easy
(antonym)
0
manageable
(antonym)
0
light
(antonym)
0
simple
(antonym)
0
clear
(antonym)
0
easy
(antonym)
0
onerous
(related)
0
severe
(related)
0
obscure
(related)
0
careful
(related)
0
contrary
(related)
0
irritable
(related)
0
obstinate
(related)
0
Using much energy; strenuous
0
- Using much energy; strenuous
- Difficult to do; laborious; onerous
- Hard to traverse, climb, or surmount.
Difficult to endure; causing hardship or suffering:
0
- Difficult to endure; causing hardship or suffering:
- Lacking in shade; undiminished:
- Definite; firm:
Marked by or requiring long, hard work:
0
- Marked by or requiring long, hard work:
- Mentally difficult; painstaking
- Involving or calling for much hard work; difficult
Having considerable height, especially in relation to width; lofty:
0
- Having considerable height, especially in relation to width; lofty:
- Impressively great or difficult:
- (Informal) Hard to believe because exaggerated or untrue
Very difficult; toilsome
0
- Very difficult; toilsome
- Hard to convince or influence; stubborn
- Hard to cut or chew:
Going or sloping up; rising
0
- Going or sloping up; rising
- Marked by difficulty or strong resistance; laborious:
- Calling for prolonged effort; laborious
Using much energy; strenuous
0
- Using much energy; strenuous
- Difficult to do; laborious; onerous
- Hard to traverse, climb, or surmount.
Requiring great physical exertion
0
- Requiring great physical exertion
- (Figuratively) Of work, very physically tiring.
Requiring others to work hard or meet high expectations:
0
- Requiring others to work hard or meet high expectations:
- Requiring much effort or attention:
- Making difficult or irksome demands on a person's resources, patience, energy, etc.
- Requiring or showing effort.
Requiring precise accuracy
0
- Requiring precise accuracy
- Demanding great care, patience, effort, etc.; arduous
- Making excessive demands; hard to satisfy.
Calling for immediate action or attention; urgent; critical
0
- Calling for immediate action or attention; urgent; critical
- Having or making urgent demands; demanding:
- Requiring immediate action; pressing:
Inspiring awe, admiration, or wonder:
0
- Inspiring awe, admiration, or wonder:
- Difficult to undertake, surmount, or defeat:
- Hard to handle or overcome
Lacking in shade; undiminished:
0
- Lacking in shade; undiminished:
- Harsh or severe in effect or intention:
- Marked by stubborn refusal to compromise or yield; uncompromising:
Hard to endure; oppressive; burdensome; distressing
0
- Hard to endure; oppressive; burdensome; distressing
- Hard to do or accomplish; arduous:
- Hard to digest
Marked by or requiring long, hard work:
0
- Marked by or requiring long, hard work:
- Mentally difficult; painstaking
- Involving or calling for much hard work; difficult
Burdensome; laborious
0
- Burdensome; laborious
- Troublesome or oppressive; burdensome.
- (Law) Involving a legal obligation that equals or exceeds the benefits
Hard to put up with; causing great discomfort or fatigue
0
- Hard to put up with; causing great discomfort or fatigue
- Burdensome or difficult to bear.
- Difficult to cope with; causing hardship or depressed spirits:
Characterized by or adhering to strict standards or methods; exacting and thorough:
0
- Characterized by or adhering to strict standards or methods; exacting and thorough:
- Rigidly precise; thoroughly accurate or exact
- Harsh, severe, or demanding:
Causing great discomfort, damage, or distress:
0
- Causing great discomfort, damage, or distress:
- Unsparing, harsh, or strict, as in treatment of others:
- Extremely difficult to perform or endure; trying:
Burdensome; wearing:
1
- Burdensome; wearing:
- With respect to an experience: exhausting; draining.
1
- Irritating, stressful or bothersome.
- That tries one's patience; annoying; exasperating; irksome
- Difficult to endure; arduous.
Inconvenient or uncomfortable, as by not affording sufficient space.
0
- Inconvenient or uncomfortable, as by not affording sufficient space.
- Causing inconvenience; uncomfortable; troublesome
- Discomforting, inconvenient, or unsuitable.
Not convenient
1
- Not convenient
- Not convenient, especially:
- Not favorable to one's comfort; difficult to do, use, or get to; causing trouble or bother; unhandy
In the habit of balking; stubbornly resisting
0
- In the habit of balking; stubbornly resisting
- Given to stopping and refusing to go on:
- Difficult to operate or start:
Perverse; inimical.
0
- Perverse; inimical.
- (Now Chiefly Dial.) Contrary; esp., perverse
Inclined to oppose or disagree stubbornly; perverse
0
- Inclined to oppose or disagree stubbornly; perverse
- Opposite in nature, order, direction, etc.; altogether different
- Opposed, as in character or purpose:
Stubbornly contrary and disobedient; obstinate.
0
- Stubbornly contrary and disobedient; obstinate.
- (Archaic) Disobedient, contrary, unmanageable; difficult to deal with; with an evil disposition.
- Not easily controlled; stubbornly willful; contrary
Not capable of being endured, used, agreed to, etc. because disagreeable or unsuitable
0
- Not capable of being endured, used, agreed to, etc. because disagreeable or unsuitable
- Not capable of being done easily or conveniently
- Not capable of being accomplished:
Having an ugly or mean disposition
0
- Having an ugly or mean disposition
- (Humorous, southern US) Mischievous, prankish, teasing, disagreeable but in a good way.
- Mean-spirited, disagreeable, and contrary in disposition; cantankerous.
Willfully opposing or resisting what is right, expected, or reasonable:
0
- Willfully opposing or resisting what is right, expected, or reasonable:
- Persisting in error or fault; stubbornly contrary
- Obstinately disobedient or difficult; intractable
Difficult or impossible to manage, control, or keep in order:
0
- Difficult or impossible to manage, control, or keep in order:
- Deviating from what is desired, expected, or required, especially in being disobedient or in gratifying one's own inclinations:
- Obstinate, contrary and unpredictable
easy
(related)
0
heavy
(related)
0
comfort
(related)
0
attitude
(related)
0
support
(related)
1
Synonym Study
- Laborious suggests long, wearisome toil the laborious task of picking fruit
- Arduous implies the need for diligent, protracted effort the arduous fight ahead of us
- a difficult book
- Difficult applies especially to that which requires great skill, intelligence, tact, etc. rather than physical labor a difficult situation
- Hard , in this comparison, is the simple and general word for whatever demands great physical or mental effort hard work, a hard problem
Find another word for difficult. In this page you can discover 184 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for difficult, like: arduous, laborious, heavy, strenuous, irksome, exacting, hard-won, stiff, painful, labored and bothersome.
